Automatic safety starter-lock for automobile-engines.



J. V. & T. E. BOYETT.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY STARTER LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC-28. me.

1,235,423, Patented July 31, 1917.

l 7/70/ 995 50757? WM @014 A TTORNEYS JAMES v. 'Bornrtr AND THOMAS E. BOYETT, or Morita, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY STARTER-LOCK FOR AUTOMOBIIE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July '31, 1917;;

Application filed December 28, 1916. Serial No. 139,339.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known'that we, Jen/ms V. Bornrr and, THOMAS E. Bornr'r, citizens of the United States, and residents of Mobile, in the county ofvMobile and State of Alabama, haveinvented a certain new. and useful Improvement in Automatic Safety Starter- Locks for Automobile-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

One of the principal objects of our invention is to provide an? improved automatic starter lock for internal combustion engines, whereby to render impossible the coupling of the starter and the motor while the latter is running, and thereby to eliminate the danger of damage and breakage to the gears, which would result from an interengagement of the starter and motor gears while the latter is, in motion.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means automatically operated by the motor for actuating a latch or other suitable device, whereby to render inoperative the starter pedal while the engine is running. A still further object of our invention contemplates the provision of a speed responsive mechanism operable by one of the shafts of the motor for controlling the pedal lock.

. A further object of the invention contemplates the provision of a vacuum actuated device controllable by theintake of the engine, for actuating the pedal latch or look.

A still further object of our invention is to provide an improved device of the class described'characterized by simplicity, durability, and economy of manufacture and maintenance.

of reference indicate like parts throughout 5 the several figures, of which I Figure 1 represents a view in elevation of a starterlock constructed according to our invention, showing the same as mounted upon an automobile engine;

- Fig. 2 represents a view partially in section through the vacuum cup and associated parts;

Fig. 3 represents a view in section through a modified former vacuum control device;

Fi g. l represents a View in section through the speed responsive modification ot control mechanism, 7

Referring more particularlyto the drawings, an automobile engine is indicated generally at 5, and the pedal for actuating the start ing device not shown) is indicated at 6. lhis pedal is pivoted in the usual manner, and when the starting device is to be thrown into operation for turning the engine over, the

pedal is adapted to be depressed the foot of the driver. I

Our invention residesin the "means for controlling the pedal 6, and the embodiment indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a'latch 7 pivoted at one end as at 8 on suitable bracket 9 mounted in conveiiientpositlon on one of the engine parts, a springl0 being utilized for normally'holdin'gthe' latch 7 in such position as to allow i're'e movement of the pedal 6. When the engine is not running, therefore, the spring 10, in the particu 1' lar arrangement shown, serves to elevatethe latch so as to allow depression of the pedal for setting the starting: mechanism inmotion. provided with a shoulder as at llwhich, when the latch is lowered against the tension of the spring 10, will serve asa stop for a lug 12 carried on the pedahlwhereby to prevent depression of the pedal and hence prethe starter mechanism clude the coupling of and engine together. p a

Supported on the bracket?) is a vacuum cup indicated at 13, and connected with the intake manifold 1a of the engine by'means' of a suitable pipe 15. The cup includes a diaphragm 16 to whichis suitably connected one end of a rod 17, the other end of said rod being pivotally connected in suitable man- The free end or the latch be I her as at 18 with the latch 7. The vacuurng cup and rod 17 are arranged below th'e latch 7, so that when the diaphragm 1 6 isdra'wn into the cup, as-indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, a pull will be exerted upon the latch downwardly against theaction of spring 10, whereby to bring said latch into position for preventing the depression of the pedal 6. While the engine is running the partial vacuum created in the intake manifold of the engine will set up a partial vacuum in the cup 13, whereby to draw the diaphragm 16 into the cup in the position indicated, and hence continuously draw the latch downwardly in position to prevent depression of the pedal, and this will result in an inability on the part of the operator to couple the starting motor with the engine motor, and hence all danger of accidentally throwing the starting device into gear with the motor while the latter is running, will be eliminated.

In lieu of the vacuum cup and diaphragm employed in the embodiment indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. we may utilize a cylinder and piston, as indicated in Fig. 3, the cylinder l3 being connected by the pipe 15 with the intake manifold 01' pipe of the engine, and the piston indicated at 16 being connected with the rod 17 for actuating the latch.

The speed responsive embodiment of the invention indicated in Fig. l, includes the ring or collar 20 fixed on one of the shafts 21 of the engine, said collar or sleeve carrying pivoted governor arms 22 provided with weights 23 at their outer ends, and having their inner ends 2e arranged in the path of movement of a sleeve 25 axially of the rod 21. This sleeve is retained in one position relatively to the collar 20 through the medium of a coiled spring 26 interposed between the sleeve and collar, and the sleeve is provided with an annular groove 2'? in which the forked end of an arm 28 plays. This arm is connected with a rod 29 for operating a starter pedal control latch (not shown) of suitable type. When the engine is at a standstill, the sleeve 25 being pressed outwardly by the spring 26, retains the balls 23 of the governor arms in the position indicated in Fig. i, and said sleeve is in such position that the latch controlled by the rod 29 will. allow depression of the starter pedal, so that the engine may be started up. As soon as the-engine attains a predetermined speed, the rotation of the shaft 21, and with it the collar 20, will cause the balls 23 to swing outwardly, thus, through the action of the pivoted lever 22, shifting the sleeve inwardly against the tension of spring 26, and thus moving the rod 29in such direction as to bring the pedal control latch into position for preventing depression of the pedal, and hence obviating any possibility of the starter and engine being coupled together while the engine is running above or I at a predetermined speed Although we have described the preferred embodiments ohour invention, we may desire to make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts thereof, as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim 1. The combination with an engine, and a starter control pedal, of a pivoted latch for controlling the pedal, 2. spring-for normally retaining the latch in position for allowing movement of the pedal, arvacuum cup including a diaphragm, a pipe-connecting the cup with the intake pipe 'of the engine, and a rod connecting the diaphragm with the latch for actuating the latter against the tension of the spring when a vacuum is established in the cup.

2. The combination with an engine, and a starter control pedal, of a pivoted latch for controlling the pedal, a vacuum cup including a diaphragm, a pipe connecting the cup with'the intake pipe of the engine, and connecting means betweeirthe diaphragm and the latch for moving the latter into position for preventing depression of the pedal when a vacuum is established in the cup;

3. The combination with an engine, and a starter control pedal, of a vacuum control device for the pedal, said vacuum control device being connected with the intake pipe of the engine. I

4. The combination with an engine, and a starter control pedal, of a pivoted latch for controlling the pedal, and a vacuum control device for actuating the latch, said'device being operably connected with the intake pipe of the engine.

5. The combination with an engine and a starter control pedal, of vacuum means controlled by the intake pipe oi the engine, for controlling the said pedal.

6. The combination with an engine and a starter control means, of a vacuum control device, operably connected with the engine for controlling the operation of the starter control means."

JAMES v. nornr'r. THOMAS E. norn'rr.

Witnesses:

Tnos. G. WILKINSON, Tnos. E. DAVIS. 

